


Eternal

by Thai_Tea_Addict



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Auror Viktor, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Ministry Of Magic AU, Mystery, Other, Poor Yuuri, Unspeakable Yuuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-22 21:10:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9625478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thai_Tea_Addict/pseuds/Thai_Tea_Addict
Summary: Aurors Viktor Nikiforov and Yuri Plisetsky are tasked with the missing persons case of Yuuri Katsuki, an Unspeakable who no one seemed to realize disappeared months ago. Oddities pile up as the investigation continues, and more people may be involved than first believed - only these people can't seem to remember why, including Viktor himself.





	1. Alea Iacta Est

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: First post into this fandom, but I just love this series so much that I couldn't help it! I'm just surprised I managed to write this, considering the amount of time I've spent in and out of doctor's appointments lately. (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri on Ice.

 

 

 

* * *

 

**I.**

**Alea Iacta Est**

_"the die has been cast"_

 

 

* * *

 

The air was thick and heavy with fragrance, caught somewhere between stifling sweetness and the bitter tang of some forgotten concern. Windows were obscured by thick, mauve curtains; magical lights gleamed from behind their folds, too unnatural to be daylight but too opaque to be flame. Flickering candlelight provided more than enough luminescence when paired with the crystalline chandelier hanging above, but there was a seemingly peripheral shroud settled over everything.

 

The table was overflowing with food and ornament, decadent in flair but utilitarian in its design. Every colored bauble and shining jewel was moving, thrumming with magic meant to coax out a scene rich with bourgeoisie and music meant to invoke some sense of classic. The tablecloth was violet, pristine and flowing; the food laid out was mostly unrecognizable, but there was a sweetness to the air that hinted at desserts and pleasant conversation. Music hummed along in the background, not loud enough to be too distinctive but the tune familiar enough to rouse attention of the guests.

 

All of the chairs lined along the dining table were empty.

 

Standing like silent soldiers at attention, made of gleaming silver and impossibly large yet still managing to fit neatly around the table. At each placemat was an ornate setting, numerous plates and cutlery set about in formal positions. Atop each of the decorative center plates was a crystalline dome where a single blue rosebud hovered, kept fresh and flowering by the magic that thrummed in the air.

 

Viktor couldn't really register anything. His limbs felt cold and useless, his mind slow to process the scene before him. The smell of the food hit him but he couldn't do much more than reach out one pale hand, fingertip idling over the artful bouquet of candied apples. He didn't want one, and he had not eaten one - but still the taste of it lingered in his mouth.

 

"Oh Viktor..."

 

Viktor raised his head, the action sending a spike of pain to his temples despite the general cotton-full feel of his thoughts. Dark brown eyes framed by a handsome face greeted his visions, just as gentle hands settled on either side of his face.

 

"Am I late?" Viktor asked, voice lethargic. He didn't know where the question came from.

 

A thumb brushed over his cheekbone, a tender hand sliding up and through his bangs so that brown could match blue unhindered. The man before him smiled, fond but pained; Viktor's chest hurt at the sight of it and he tried to rise on unsteady legs.

 

One hand held onto his shoulder, keeping him seated and in place. "No, Viktor, it's okay," the man said, one hand grasping Viktor's chin to keep their eyes connected. "I'll make everything okay again. Just relax, love."

 

The word made his heart soar but the meaning was lost to him, even as tears rose to blue eyes. " _Don't,_ " he pleaded for reasons he was desperately trying to grasp. The word came out soft and broken, those gentle fingers on his face more painful than any hex. _"Please don't, Yuuri..."_

 

Yuuri thumbed away his tears. "It's going to be okay," he promised Viktor quietly. 

 

Viktor tried to grab onto his hand but it was too late - Yuuri pulled out his wand and Viktor regarded him helplessly.

 

_But the banquet-_

_The banquet-_

 

"The banquet-" Viktor started.

 

Yuuri's voice was steady and heartbroken: "The banquet is already over."

 

* * *

 

Viktor woke to the sound of his esteemed partner and cousin slamming a handful of files on the adjacent desk, muttering under his breath as he took his seat. The office was practically dead in this early morning hour but the smell of coffee and tea was strong in the air as his coworkers dragged themselves to their posts or out the door. It was always like this in the Auror department; despite the peaceful times they found themselves in, there would still be remnants of that fascist pureblood ideology slowly dying away, but not quick enough to mean the Aurors could slack off. Not to mention just the everyday work the Aurors found themselves tasked with, as wizarding Britain rebuilt itself even 40 years later. 

 

"Yura, coffee~ I had to stay here all night finishing the report for the Belby case," Viktor moaned, slouching back over his desk.

 

Yuri Plisetsky glared over at him. "I told you not to wait until the last minute," the younger man grumbled. He'd recently finished Auror training, and Yakov had saddled Viktor with the Auror department's newest recruit on the grounds that someone as talented as Viktor would do well as a mentor. Often times, though, it seemed more like Yuri was taking care of Viktor rather than the other way around.

 

"I want borscht," Viktor continued to whine into the tabletop.

 

"You just said you wanted coffee!" Yuri pointed out.

 

Viktor looked over at the blond with an uncharacteristically serious gaze. "I am a man of many tastes, Yura," he said.

 

Yuri spluttered, obviously disgusted by the implications, but Mila at the next desk over started laughing. 

 

"Nikiforov, Plisetsky!" Yakov yelled from the doorway of his office. His expression was severe but that was nothing unusual - Viktor couldn't remember if there was ever a time he saw the man smile, in all honesty. "A new case has come in for you!"

 

Viktor rose to his feet with a pout but it had no affect on either his cousin or his boss; instead, he accepted the file Yakov handed to him and flipped it open, noting how thin it was. Usually the cases he received had some background work done; Viktor and Yuri would follow up on any previous investigations made, or conduct new interviews just to double-check, but this case file couldn't be more than a few pages.

 

"Missing persons case," Yakov explained gruffly, watching as the two men flipped it open to view the available contents. "Yuuri Katsuki, age 24. He's been declared missing by his family in Japan."

 

"In Japan?" Yuri echoed with furrowed brows.

 

"They live in Japan. His sister came here to visit when they stopped hearing from him; he works in the Department of Mysteries," Yakov explained gruffly.

 

Viktor went through the file. There was no interview notes, no cursory investigation; only a few sheets of paper, all of which seemed to be Katsuki's resume. The last page was clipped with a photo and Viktor's eyes fell on his newest case with thoughtful eyes.

 

Silky black hair, lightly-tanned skin tone, and handsome features. Katsuki's dark brown eyes were framed by a pair of blue eyeglasses, and the trim cut of his robe showed a notable thickness around his midsection and thighs. His lips were so obviously kissable and there was a gentleness to his features that belied a kind personality. The picture of him smiled shyly up at Viktor, lifting up on hand to wave as if in greeting; a gold ring gleamed around his ring finger, catching Viktor's attention momentarily.

 

"He's beautiful," Viktor observed with noticeable reverence.

 

Yakov and Yuri stared at him.

 

"What the fu-" Yuri began but was cut off by Yakov hitting him with an extra case file. The department head glared back at Viktor with a scowl, hitting him as well just for good measure. 

 

"He's _missing_ ," Yakov stressed again. "His sister doesn't know where he lives, and only knew he worked in the Ministry here."

 

Viktor thumbed through the file again. "Celestino didn't say anything? It's odd he didn't report his employee was missing," he noted. Celestino Cialdini was the head of the Department of Mysteries; he was a friendly guy and a real hit in the inter-departmental poker tournaments, though he couldn't hold his liquor worth a damn. Still, the man was good at his job and also managed his employees very carefully - if any Unspeakable was reported missing, Celestino would have known before the Aurors did.

 

Yakov frowned too, as if hearing this for the first time. Viktor didn't quite understand the reaction - Yakov was a seasoned Auror and had taught Viktor everything he knew. He should have grilled Celestino about Yuuri Katsuki before Katsuki's sister ever showed up.

 

"I'll talk to Celestino," Viktor said, glancing at Yuri. "Do you want to interview the sister?"

 

Yuri nodded, all business. He may seem like a total brat to Viktor most of the time but Yuri was practically a prodigy in the Auror department; Viktor knew he could rely on him when it came down to it. Viktor looked back down at the file in his hands, an uncharacteristic knot of anxiety growing in his stomach.

 

The picture of Yuuri Katsuki was smiling back up at him, one hand still raised in greeting.

 

* * *

 

The Department of Mysteries may seem like the center for wizarding Britain's most secretive curiosities, but Viktor was neither an outsider nor a conspiracy theorist; he knew that just like the Auror department, the Department of Mysteries was about 80% paperwork and 20% _unadulterated chaos_.

 

"Viktor, _don't let it touch you!"_ Christophe Giacometti called out, just as something about the size of Viktor's fist flitted by with a loud buzzing sound. Viktor made sure to dodge in order to gain more distance, watching with a kind of wary expectation as what looked like an oversized firefly made of glass and spiraling sand flew past him and turned the corner, Christophe hot on its metaphorical heels.

 

"When's your lunch, Chris?" Viktor called before the Swiss could disappear from sight.

 

"At 2!" came the echoing answer, before there was a yelp and a small explosion. A stream of frantic French was heard, just before Chris called out a depressed _"I'm fine!"_ so that Viktor didn't have to worry about checking on him.

 

Viktor knew the Department of Mysteries was currently focused on innovation; they had several ongoing projects in a wide range of disciplines nowadays, and they were renown in the Ministry for essentially being equal parts experimental and mad. It was an interesting place to visit, and Viktor's social network reflected a close connection with Unspeakables. The Auror Department and DoM were known for interdepartmental competition and often held mini-tournaments under official 'team bonding exercises' that were more friendly than their predecessors had thought possible.

 

"Nikiforov! Good to see you," Celestino greeted him boisterously, once Viktor entered the fundamental office section of the department. It was hardly every populous, given that most Unspeakables were involved in projects in other rooms or locations. For the most part, it's just where non-Department of Mysteries employees went to talk to Celestino or leave messages for any of the Unspeakables. Even now, in the middle of the work day, there were only a few people present: Phichit Chulanont, covered head to toe in rainbow polka dots, waved at him cheerfully from across the room. Guanghong Ji, covered in even more colored dots, glanced over and smiled at Viktor's arrival.

 

Viktor nodded at Celestino in greeting. "Good morning to you as well," he said cheerfully. The smile fell from his lips as his more business-centered persona took place; he didn't need to be stern with the department head but it was still an ongoing investigation, not a time for pleasantries.

 

"I'm here about the Yuuri Katsuki case," Viktor started. "Is there anything you can tell me about him?"

 

Celestino blinked, a small frown turning his lips. "Yuuri?" he echoed, clearly bewildered. 

 

The tension knotted in Viktor's center grew ever more pronounced. This recurring strange reaction Viktor kept getting, first from Yakov and now Celestino - it was as if they didn't know about the case until Viktor actually mentioned it. 

 

"Yes," Viktor said, bemused. "Your employee that was reported missing? When was the last time you heard from him...?"

 

Celestino's eyebrows furrowed, and it was obvious the man had been completely blindsided. "Yuuri is missing?" he asked, stunned. 

 

Viktor frowned. "His sister reported him missing-" Viktor stopped abruptly, trying to remember the date when Yuuri Katsuki was first reported missing. Yakov had said his sister had been visiting after not hearing from him, but Viktor couldn't remember any dates in the file he'd read. Perhaps it was just incomplete? Hopefully Yuri would have some answers when they reconvened back at the office later.

 

"Has he been to work lately?" Viktor tried again, as Celestino remained silent.

 

Celestino frowned, then shook his head. His expression said he was unsure though; one hand was at his temple, rubbing soothing circles into it. Viktor could commiserate - he felt a headache coming on too, not helped at all by the music someone had started playing from one corner of the room. 

 

"When was the last time you saw Katsuki?" Viktor asked.

 

"I don't- These guys don't always check in with me. Let me get the register," Celestino said, stepping back and turning to go back to his office. Viktor followed, eyes keen; while he knew Unspeakables could have odd hours and that they tended to be project-centered rather than micromanaged, Celestino was usually very good at following up with his wayward employees. He had to be, with the likes of Chris and Phichit running around; Viktor still remembered the time he had to mediate between a rabid Michele Crispino and severely unamused Seung-gil Lee, who had been working with Michele's sister Sara. The latter two were Unspeakables that had been working on a project that for some godawful reason, left them glued left-hand-to-right-hand with each other. Sara had been quite entertained by the week-long accident, but as a fellow Auror, Viktor had been tasked with keeping Michele away so that he didn't murder Seung-gil for some imagined threat to Sara's virtue.

 

Celestino returned, unrolling a parchment. Given the rarity of an in-person check-in of an Unspeakable, the department had opted for a register; it acted almost like a time card so that Celestino could be made aware of what his employees were up to and their general progress in whatever project they were working on. Viktor didn't look at the register at first; some projects were highly-secure, and although he was sure that Celestino was professional enough to block out the projects that required higher-level clearance, Viktor didn't want to assume so. It seemed the man was having an off-day, in any case.

 

"Yuuri's last check in was on December 7th," Celestino said, staring at the parchment in shock.

 

Viktor had a similar expression. "That was two months ago," he said softly, turning his eyes down to the register. Most of the names had been obscured, their project name and descriptions either blurred out or vanished altogether. **'Yuuri Katsuki'** was listed cleanly in the center, along with the date of his check in.

 

"His project title and details are missing," Celestino murmured, fingers grazing over the empty slots next to Yuuri's name. 

 

Viktor looked up at the man. "It's not high-level clearance?" he asked.

 

Celestino frowned, shaking his head. "No, it wasn't the type to be restricted... Yuuri preferred projects that would benefit the public good, so his projects never required top clearance..." Here, the man paused, looking uncomfortable as he evaluated the register once more. 

 

Viktor stared back down at the parchment. If what Celestino had said was true, then why had Katsuki's project been vanished, the same way all top-clearance information refused to be shown to those not given security clearance?

 

Celestino's head shot up after a moment. "Phichit! Come here!" he called out across the room before he turned back to Viktor. "Phichit and Yuuri are close friends," was the man's explanation.

 

The Thai man had perked up, rising to his feet and moving over to where Viktor was still bent over the register as if it would divulge answers instead of just more questions. 

 

"Phichit, when was the last time you saw Yuuri?" Celestino asked.

 

Viktor looked up when the music spiked up another couple decibels. Was someone working on a music-related project, and couldn't their experiment wait until after Viktor had his questions answered? The silver-haired man turned to observe Phichit, noting once again that same bemused expression that seemed to come across anyone's face when asked about the whereabouts of Yuuri Katsuki.

 

"I saw Yuuri... At dinner?" Phichit hazarded out slowly. 

 

Viktor brought a finger up to his lips in thought. "Last night? Last week?" he asked. 

 

Phichit frowned. "I don't... I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. "I know I saw him at dinner, I must have... there was food but I didn't-"

 

Viktor could not hear the rest. The music reached a crescendo, echoing violently in his head and blocking out the sound of his own screams as he slammed gloved hands over his ears. 

 

_"...Stammi vicino e ogni cosa vedrai  
Col tempo tutto arriverà. _

_Non mi freghi lo sai,_   
_So cosa vuoi ancor prima di te_   
_È deciso ormai,_   
_E tu non puoi più far senza di me..."_

 

Another pair of hands were placed over his own, gently peeling them away to cradle. The music was low, a distant echo of what it once had been; the lights had been dimmed and the floor Viktor had fallen to his knees on was now dark, varnished wood rather than nondescript tile. However, instead of kneeling, Viktor was now seated - at a familiar table laid out with food and décor draped in varying shades of violet. His eyes caught on a crystal dome where a  single blue rose was in mid-bloom.

 

Pained blue eyes followed the line of an arm, across delicate sloping shoulders and familiar soft features, continuing up to lock with a pair of concerned brown eyes, the soft look directed down at Viktor sending another spike to his heart. "My head," Viktor started with a parched throat before his brows furrowed, a thought rising unbidden as the words pushed out from his throat. "Am I late?"

 

Yuuri Katsuki gazed back at him, devastation written over his features. "No," he said, one hand brushing silver locks out of Viktor's eyes. "Can you wait a bit longer, Viktor?"

 

"Yes, of course," Viktor replied, cotton between his ears and static running through his veins. His body did not want to move, his mind did not want to think - all he wanted to do was look at Yuuri, drink in the fluidity of his movements and the heat of his existence. Yuuri stepped back, drawing away even as his gaze lingered on Viktor with such blatant pain that Viktor immediately wanted to draw him into his arms.

 

"Yuuri, we should dance," Viktor suggested, words slow and sweet.

 

Yuuri made a small noise, as if choking back a sob. "Maybe later, Viktor," he said, continuing to move away. Viktor watched him avidly, every step taking Yuuri further down the length of the table. In the light of the candles and the chandelier, Viktor could make out Phichit sitting slouched in his chair, hands over his eyes and murmuring in his native tongue, and a few more spots down, Celestino was rubbing his temples with a low, pained groan.

 

Viktor's eyes slipped closed, lulled by the sound of Yuuri's quiet, gentle voice as he spoke to his friend. Lost to the sound of Yuuri's voice and his own inexplicable lethargy, Viktor was startled when he felt hands brush through his hair, blue eyes opening to find himself alone with Yuuri once more.

 

"It must be a hard day for you," Yuuri murmured. "Yurio was here earlier too. Mari-neesan must be looking for me."

 

_Mari-nessan_ \- Mari Katsuki. That was Yuuri's sister's name; unlike Yuuri, she'd gone to the magical school in Japan instead of accepting Hogwarts's invitation. She was older and would take over their parents' business. She was visiting London this week, after not receiving any letters from her brother. She had not been able to find her brother. She'd reported him missing.

 

_Yuuri Katsuki was missing._

 

"Yuuri," Viktor started; his throat was dry, his head was hammering rebelliously against him, and there was nausea climbing its way up into his heart. "Where are you?"

 

Yuuri didn't reply, taking a moment to draw his fingertips down across Viktor's jawline. The intimacy of the gesture left Viktor breathless, and he stared adoringly into the other man's eyes. 

 

"I don't know what to do about Mari-neesan," Yuuri murmured, but the words were not addressed to Viktor - he was speaking to himself, consideration in his tone and heartsickness in his eyes. "How do I fix this?"

 

There was a slight tremble in both his hands and words. Viktor reached up, intending to comfort him - but Yuuri only withdrew, stepping away and looking at Viktor, tears brimming in his eyes. 

 

"There was no other way. Please remember that, Vitya. No matter what - there was no other way," Yuuri told him. 

 

Viktor reached out again, but Yuuri would not step closer. "Yuuri, where are you?" he asked again. He couldn't remember why it was important, just that he had to know - he had to find Yuuri, had to keep him close. Yuuri was looking back at him, gauging and distant; he withdrew his wand and Viktor felt his heart freeze.

 

"Yuuri, _don't_ ," Viktor begged. 

 

Yuuri's words were calm, his tone even. "Yuuri Katsuki had quit back in December. His apartment had already been vacated, and there was no sign of foul play. It's as if-"

 

 

* * *

 

"-as if Katsuki just packed up and moved away, without telling anyone," Viktor reported, tearing his eyes away from his notes to match Yakov's stare. "It happens sometimes, doesn't it? Katsuki probably just wanted to get a fresh start and took off on a journey of self-discovery," he shrugged off. Celestino's records showed Katsuki had quit abruptly, yes, but the man himself said that Katsuki had always been anxious at heart. The landlord of Katsuki's apartment had stated that the Japanese man was vacated the property months ago, and Viktor figured Katsuki had been planning to quit for months.

 

Georgi sighed from his desk. "I should go on a journey of self-discovery too," the heartbroken Auror muttered, bottom lip wobbling as he was once again reminded of his recent break-up with Anya. His partner, Mila, rolled her eyes as she took a sip of coffee.

 

"If Katsuki disappeared of his own volition, there's nothing we can do," Yakov said with a nod. He turned a look onto Yuri. "What did his sister say?"

 

Yuri scowled. "She was crazy," he said shortly. His expression was more confused than angry, which meant his interview with Mari Katsuki hadn't given him any answers. "She acted like I knew Katsuki or something. And she... She kept calling me 'Yurio'."

 

Viktor laughed lightly. "I like it! Yurio~ Can you get me some more coffee, Yurio~"

 

"Get your own coffee, you fucking-"

 

"Write up your reports and drop them on my desk tonight," Yakov cut in. "We'll consider the case closed unless additional information comes up. Vitya, tomorrow, call Mari Katsuki and let her know."

 

Viktor nodded in understanding. Yakov moved away, glancing around the office and scowling. "Where the hell is JJ?" he asked. 

 

Otabek looked up at his partner's name. "He said he heard music," he shrugged off.

 

"I'm pretty sure JJ walks around hearing his own theme music," Mila observed drily, quill moving over parchment as she jotted down her latest field report. 

 

"Tell that idiot he better get some leads on the break-in at the Okukawa Studio or he can kiss his free time goodbye," Yakov bit out, storming back into his office. 

 

Viktor set the files for the Katsuki case back down on the desk. His handwritten notes were clean and impeccable, but the file just seemed so bare for a closed case: aside from his few notes regarding Katsuki's work and home, the only other things in the file were his resume and a photo. 

 

Staring once more at the picture of Yuuri Katsuki, Viktor thought candidly that it was a pity Yuuri didn't get his portrait done. It would have been nice to talk with him to get some idea of his personality, even if it was just a shade of Yuuri Katsuki himself.

 

* * *

 

 

 

_"...Aspettavo te, da tanto tempo ormai che quasi  
Non ci credevo però non mi ero arreso _

_Stammi vicino e ogni cosa vedrai  
Che col tempo tutto si aggiusterà..." _

 

"Is there really no way out?" JJ asked, voice weak and strained.

 

Yuuri didn't look up, the words hauntingly familiar. They always would be, no matter who voiced them - because he'd heard the exact same refrain in many different voices now, and the answer would never change. His hands closed over the crystal dome, the magic in his fingers causing it to shatter silently into stardust and fall away into air. The blue rose, caught in full bloom, hovered until his hands cupped beneath it to hold and its weight sunk into his skin with all the comfort of a long-gone love.

 

"There's no other way," Yuuri replied, voice quiet but not timid. After all this time, the anxiety he felt when interacting with those who sat at this table had faded. Long-term exposure had waned their effect on him, and now every time someone sat at this table, guilt gnawed at Yuuri's heart even as he felt a sharp flash of joy at seeing them.

 

A temporary pleasure, a momentary lapse Yuuri could correct - but also a sign of his own ineptitude.

 

He could do better.

 

He hoped he would.

 

Yuuri let the rose fall from his hands, watching its slow descent to the floor as if it were waiting for him to catch it before it landed. Instead, Yuuri pulled out his wand and rose to cross the room once again. Jj watched him approach, eyes widening marginally as realization dawned on his features about what he knew would come next. That was also Yuuri's fault - he'd allowed JJ to linger for longer than usual this time.

 

"It won't last," JJ said, voice tinged with panic and horror. "Yuuri- It's not working, this isn't right-"

 

"It must work," was the reply.

 

The banquet would have to end with Yuuri. There was simply no other way.

 

* * *

 


	2. Ad Susceptum Perficiendum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for the comments and kudos, everyone! :)  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri on Ice or Harry Potter.

* * *

 

**II. Ad Susceptum Perficiendum**

_"in order to achieve what has been undertaken"_

 

* * *

Otabek sifted through the files once more. He felt he'd been doing that quite often lately for this case, a restlessness borne from not being able to uncover any leads. It wasn't as if he and JJ had been inactive - it was more that Minako Okukawa, the magical photographer whose studio had suffered recurrent break-ins, wasn't exactly helpful regarding what had gone missing.

_"Something's gone,"_ she had reported, going through her stock obsessively. _"I know it's gone, I know something's missing - but I don't know what."_

Okukawa had been calling in periodically to report missing items and Otabek had faithfully followed up. He could not deny Okukawa's assertions: her studio showed remnant signs of someone breaking through her wards and her stock had been messily laid about as if someone had been poring through it. Every time Otabek followed up, however, with Okukawa proclaiming to know what had gone missing this time - he showed up, and she admitted she didn't know what was taken.

They'd been doing this same song and dance for weeks now. It was driving JJ up the wall, so much so that JJ had taken to going through every client listed in Okukawa's register one-by-one to see if there were any oddities to be found there. Otabek had pretty much left him to it, trying to work with Okukawa to find out what had gone missing and how they were getting through the wards. 

According to Okukawa, the wards were restrictive: they let in only employees or close friends of Okukawa. Otabek had been investigating the employee side but the studio was small: there were only a handful of employees, as Okukawa tended to rely on independent contractors for larger gigs. Okukawa had listed out those she had personally keyed into the wards, but according to JJ, most were out of the country at the time and none had any reason to break into the studio. 

Otabek's attention paused on one of JJ's case notes, catching on a familiar name. _'Yuuri Katsuki'_ stared back up at him from a page of Okukawa's numerous client records. It wasn't that strange - the wizarding world wasn't as big as some believed, wizarding communities far smaller than their muggle counterparts. It wouldn't be odd for a Ministry employee to be a client of a local business.

But the Katsuki case was interesting to Otabek, with what little he'd heard about it. Yuri had been grumbling a lot lately about how strange everyone who was involved with the case had been acting, and chief among his concerns was Viktor - who Yuri had stated spent a _"fucking creepy amount of time pining"_ over the former Unspeakable. 

Otabek glanced up and across the room, where Viktor was still working, tirelessly scrawling his report on parchment. Music had started to play, quiet and distant, but it sounded familiar - it must be Viktor's doing, since it reminded Otabek of the silver-haired man. Viktor's concentration on his work was unbreakable though, and he didn't even look up to give Otabek a fleeting look of apology or conspiratory smile.

Out of curiosity alone, Otabek turned his attention back down to his desk and sifted through the records, trying to find Katsuki's invoice. It took him well over 20 minutes to locate the small invoice, a simple scrap of parchment that read _'Katsuki - marriage photo set, discount price 10 galleons - Congratulations, Yuuri~!'_

Otabek frowned. Okukawa gave discounts to either long-time clients, close friends, or employees. Considering Otabek could now recite the employee list from memory alone in his sleep, he knew Katsuki was not working for the photographer. So either a long-time client or a personal friend, but JJ had not mentioned seeing Katsuki's name on either of Okukawa's lists.

A niggling doubt entered his mind. Otabek moved from his desk to JJ's, poring through his partner's case notes more closely. Otabek had been tasked with looking into employees and independent contractors, JJ had been tasked with clients and friends. For all his arrogant talk, JJ was still one of the best Aurors in the department, and despite Yuri's acidic complaints, Otabek trusted enough in JJ's abilities not to question his findings.

But surely JJ would have mentioned something? Everyone in the office knew about the Katsuki missing person's case, and that seemed like a break JJ would have gladly hooked on to, if there was any mention of Katsuki being a regular of Minako Okukawa.

Otabek's eyes alighted on what he'd been looking for, and he couldn't decide if he should be shocked or worried: there, underlined by JJ himself, was _'Yuuri Katsuki'_ on the list of Minako Okukawa's personal friends. The scrawled note in JJ's familiar handwriting only stated 'status unknown', meaning JJ should have been looking into Katsuki's whereabouts.

Yuuri Katsuki, who had been reported missing. 

Yuuri Katsuki, who had disappeared around the time the break-ins into Okukawa Studio had started.

Yuuri Katsuki, who had once tutored Otabek in Charms.

Yuuri Katsuki, who had-

The music reached a screeching volume before Otabek found himself sat upright, trying to blink the glassiness out of his eyes in order to refocus on the view before him. 

_"Yuuri,"_ Otabek croaked out. 

Yuuri Katsuki, who had helped Otabek organize a surprise birthday party for Yuri.

Yuuri Katsuki, who had offered to be a reference for Otabek's resume and subsequent application to the Auror program.

Yuuri Katsuki, who was seated across the table from him, a blue rose cradled in his hand.

"Was it Minako-sensei again, Otabek?" Yuuri asked. 

It was, as it had been all the times before it. All those times... How many times had Otabek been here, in this room? How many times had he returned before Yuuri could send him back? Otabek tried to remember but the details were hazy and fleeting. He needed to remain here longer, he needed to remember-

A gentle hand on his chin, tilting his face upwards. The point of Yuuri's wand in front of his eyes. The familiar feeling of a numbing cascade over his mind, the magic of a memory charm working its way back into his thoughts. 

"Erase 'Yuuri Katsuki' from Minako Okukawa's records. Obliviate 'Yuuri Katsuki' from Minako Okukawa's thoughts. Forget Yuuri Katsuki," Yuuri intoned quietly. 

"Your name is in her records," Otabek murmured. 

"Then erase her records," Yuuri said, frustration coloring his tone. The order was familiar - Otabek had heard it before. He'd heard it before, he'd _done_ it before... The wards around Minako Okukawa's studio were strong but Otabek had specialized in cursebreaking; he could break them.

He _had_ broken them. Several times, each time trying to find and eradicate the last trace of Yuuri Katsuki. But small bits of Yuuri kept floating up, no matter how hard Otabek had worked to get rid of them. Otabek wasn't as gifted as Yuuri when it came to memory charms but he knew his way around them enough to make her forget, for a time, about Yuuri and about Otabek's involvement.

But it wasn't working, not for the long-term. Minako kept remembering that something was missing; she hadn't realized (not 'realized'- she hadn't _remembered_ , because Otabek had tried to _erase the memory)_  that her copies of Yuuri's wedding photos were missing, that Otabek had been forced to break in and take down the display, to destroy any copies of it that he could find. Then he had to break in again to erase the employees' memories one by one, then again to wipe Yuuri's name from the records, then _again_ because Yuuri had been a patron since he was a Hogwarts student and little traces of him couldn't be erased, not completely...

The memory charm was trying to take effect but it wasn't as strong as before. Otabek could still think, could still wonder critically about the orders, could still resist the attempts made at taking away his memories of Yuuri. What he did remember of Yuuri kept pooling back into his mind as the memory charm tried to force it out, leaving Otabek fleeting glimpses to try and catch.

"This can't work, Yuuri," Otabek said, voice even. The trance wouldn't let him panic but it couldn't stop him from speaking. "A person can't be erased so easily."

Yuuri wiped bitter tears from his eyes. "This isn't easy at all."

* * *

 

Viktor finished penning off the explanation of the closed Yuuri Katsuki case, rolling the parchment up and closing it with the signature wax seal of the Auror department. It was a formality to notify the one who had initially reported the Missing Persons case, and while Aurors may also visit or give Floo calls, Mari Katsuki did not have a permanent address in the UK despite being a citizen.

Delivering such pessimistic news by owl always felt wrong to Viktor - if he'd been Mari and his brother had also essentially walked off the face of the earth, he'd hate to have some stranger tell her that there was nothing they could do for the investigation given the lack of foul play. However, there really was nothing the Auror office could do in this case: Yuuri Katsuki was an adult, and he'd legally left both his home and work on his own volition, according to the evidence.

Almost reflexively, Viktor opened the file to view Yuuri's picture once more. He wondered if Mari Katsuki looked like him - did she have the same kind eyes, the same shy smile, the same mole just above the hip-

"Viktor~ What are you doing?"

Viktor startled, flinching away from the photograph he'd just been tracing with a fingertip. Blinking surprised blue eyes, he turned to look into Chris's amused face; the Swiss was smiling faintly, eyes darting from Viktor's expression to the case file. 

"Did I interrupt you?" Chris asked teasingly.

Viktor blushed, shaking his head and trying to muster up a more confident smile. "No, I was- I'm sorry, Chris, was I running late?"

Chris smiled, not disheartened in the least. "Busy with work or busy with love?" he winked.

Viktor closed the case file hurriedly, standing up and ignoring the way Chris's crooning caused him to blush. He was no stranger to Chris's teasing or the like, but there was something almost painful about bringing up Yuuri in such a casual context. Yuuri wasn't just some fling Viktor was having, he was different- he was _special-_

Chris perked up. "Oh wow, do you hear that?" he asked Viktor, looking around the otherwise empty room. Most everyone had cleared out by now, save Viktor who was putting the finishing touches on his report, and JJ - who had left a few minutes ago to grab himself some dinner, after having been chewed out by Yakov earlier in the day for goofing off. Otabek was there as well, binking absently at his desk like he was fighting off exhaustion. 

It took a moment for Viktor to hear what Chris was talking about, but sure enough, the familiar melody reached his own ears. It was simultaneously wonderful and nauseating, as if he were hearing an old favorite that he'd accidentally associated with a rough time. Something about the tune nagged at Viktor but he could not place why, and so instead he followed Chris out the door and towards the Post room, intending on sending the letter to Mari Katsuki before getting some well-deserved respite.

* * *

"Makkachin, I'm home!"

An answering bark was all Viktor received before his best friend tottered into view. Makkachin was old by dog standards, and Viktor liked to think she'd lived so long because of his dedication to her. He knelt down to scratch behind her downy ears, smiling as her tongue lolled out to give him a brief kiss.

Makkachin made the apartment bearable. He'd heard, more often than not, that his flat was lovely in all aspects: the decor was high-end and impeccable, there was space for friends at any time, and there was usually enough food stored for the rare times Viktor could actually cook something for himself. 

It wasn't that Viktor wasn't used to living alone; he'd moved out from his family's place as soon as he'd graduated from Hogwarts and entered the Auror program, after all. It was just that recently, he'd started to feel lonely - perhaps he was dissatisfied by his job, or needed to find something else to occupy his time besides work and Makkachin.

Burying his face into his beloved dog's curls, Viktor gave a lengthy sigh. His apartment was currently a mess: there were papers strewn about every surface, his old clothes had been kicked off to the side of his bedroom, and he didn't even want to dare peek into the storage closet to see what madness lay behind it. He'd promised himself to clean house the next day off, but every time it rolled around, he found himself occupied with friends or just lying about with Makkachin.

"I should do a little cleaning each day instead," Viktor muttered, rubbing behind the dog's ears. "Isn't that right, Makkachin?"

Makkachin wagged her tail, starting to lay back down in order to doze and ignore her clingy owner. Viktor spent a few more minutes petting her, then rose to change out of his Auror robes and into something more comfortable for a night in. 

Sifting through the closet, Viktor pouted at the lack of clean comfort clothes to wear. He just wanted to be lazy tonight, and he couldn't do that in official robes or his more elegant attire. His eyes stopped on his favorite tracksuit - Muggle clothes, red and white emblazoned with 'RU' that he'd found in a shop years ago. He moved on without thinking about it, but when he started going back in the opposite direction, he couldn't help but frown at it in consideration.

He didn't want to wear it.

But it was comfortable, and he could easily magick out any stains.

But he didn't want to wear it.

But he'd rather liked it ever since he first bought it. It had been his favorite lazy day attire.

_But he didn't want to wear it._

Reluctantly and with trepidation stuttering in his heart, Viktor pulled it from the hangar. He felt almost sick as he took off his Auror robes and pulled on the tracksuit; it settled uncomfortably atop his skin, as if it might be crawling with unseen bugs. Viktor frowned - maybe he should just take it off and go around in only his undergarments? It's not like Makkachin minded...

Viktor slouched, hands in his pockets as he considered - but then his fingers met cold metal and he flinched as if he'd been bit. Instinctively, he grasped what had lain forgotten in his pockets, pulling it out to bring into the light.

A simple golden ring.

Viktor stared at it. 

It seemed familiar but he couldn't place from where. He was no stranger to accessories, jewelry included - but the ring wasn't his usual fare, and weighed heavily in his hand as he considered it. When had he bought it? When was the last time he'd worn this tracksuit? He would have remembered buying something like a gold ring, he'd thought, and yet...

The tracksuit was very comfortable. He remembered he used to wear it often after buying it from a muggle chain store years ago. It was athletic wear for the muggle sport ice skating; there was no equivalent to it in the magical world, and Viktor had found the way the athletes danced and spun across the ice to be mesmerizing. He'd skated the muggle way even as a child, to the befuddlement of his wizarding family, and the day he found someone else who shared his love of the sport-

A flash of Hufflepuff yellow, and Viktor fell to his knees. His heart was hammering hard, his mind frantic-

The gold ring fell to the floor from his limp hand, rolling back into the closet. It caught the light from the bedroom lamp and gleamed back into Viktor's eyes, and the man could almost hear the seagulls cry.

Barcelona.

He'd bought the ring in _Barcelona_.

_No,_ Viktor thought, mind buzzing, nausea welling in his gut and heart suddenly agonized. _I didn't buy it._

The ring was _given to him_ in Barcelona.

The music began to play, and Viktor fell.

* * *

Why.

_Why why why why-_

Yuuri's hands shook as he reached out to steady Viktor, who had his head bent and hands over his ears as always. It was like this every time, although Yuuri could not figure out why - the transition must be more painful than Yuuri expected, but there was nothing he could do about that. He could only send them back and hope that the time lapse between then and now would be greater.

Otabek's words hung in the air as Viktor turned glossy blue eyes on him. 

They kept returning to the Banquet. No matter what Yuuri did, the others kept falling back into the Banquet and into Yuuri's hands. Was it Mari? But no, it couldn't be just Mari's presence- she'd affected Yurio, and it was only a matter of time before she affected Viktor, but Viktor always, always came back anyway-

"Am I late?" Viktor asked in a pained voice.

Yuuri couldn't choke back his sob. " _Please_ stop asking that," he begged, but he knew it to be futile. Did Viktor even understand his own question? Yuuri knew he didn't, knew it because he'd taken that away from Viktor too.

"Vitya, what was it this time?" Yuuri asked, trying to refocus himself. He needed composure, he needed to figure out what had triggered Viktor this time around so he could get rid of it. What had he missed? There was only so much Yuuri could do, and through sheer exposure, he knew Viktor was gaining a resistance that Yuuri could not overcome.

Viktor was staring up at him. Yuuri reached out, cupping the Auror's cheeks, looking back into blue eyes. He skimmed the surface of Viktor's thoughts with the gentlest touch of Legilimency, careful not to force his way in. Mind magic was always a delicate art and Yuuri knew better than to push his way in, especially since that may leave a trail others may notice.

A gold ring, and Barcelona.

The breath in Yuuri's lungs seized. How was it possible? Viktor may have forgotten the most important part, but the fact that he'd remembered Barcelona at all... But no, even more alarming was the fact that he had the ring.

Yuuri had erased that. He'd made sure of it, from the very first time Viktor was able to leave the Banquet.

_"Get rid of the ring,"_ Yuuri had ordered long before. The words had hurt more than anything. The moment that ring was gone, Yuuri knew he was as good as dead to Viktor. Viktor had known that too, because even back then while locked in the Obliviate's trance, he'd started crying.

Why was the ring still there? 

"Viktor," Yuuri started, lump in his throat. He'd pulled out his wand, casting a silent Obliviate; Viktor's eyes glassed over in the now-familiar trance. "Go back. Throw away the ring. Forget about Barcelona."

Viktor stared up at him, glassy-eyed. "No," he replied.

Yuuri wanted to scream. " _Go back. Throw away the ring. Forget about Barcelona,"_ he ordered again, voice harder, words stronger. 

"No," Viktor said again.

Viktor was not an Occlumens. He wore his heart on his sleeve for anyone to see. His words could be blunt but they were truthful, and he'd never hidden anything from Yuuri. They'd understood each other on a level that had made others envious, had made their professors and their coworkers annoyed by the sheer level of their affection for each other. 

Yuuri had taken all that away, because it was the only way to ensure Viktor's happiness. Viktor would only be happy if Yuuri could stop holding him back from doing so.

"Forget about me," Yuuri said, wrapping his arms around Viktor. "Forget about me! Viktor, _please_ \- I'm not strong enough to continue doing this! _Forget about me!"_

A burst of magic, Yuuri's desperation pushing the spell that much more - and Viktor disappeared.

Yuuri crumpled, crying alone over an empty silver chair.

* * *

Viktor righted himself, dimly away he'd almost lost balance just standing. _I must be more tired than I thought,_ he mused. It would be better to get an early night's rest, just in case Yakov had a new case for him and Yuri tomorrow. After finishing his report for the Belby case, Yakov would definitely think it was time to give Viktor a new case as soon as possible. 

Viktor walked out of the room, taking mild note of his wardrobe change. Was this a Muggle tracksuit? When did he have the time to buy this? It was comfortable, though, and lighter than the usual wizarding robes. The design looked vaguely familiar too, reminiscent of the attire worn by muggle athletes. 

Viktor didn't get to dwell on it for too long, walking out of his bedroom to see Makkachin docilely wagging her tail as she hovered around the legs of the person standing in Viktor's living room. The woman looked to be a few years older than Viktor, the ends of her hair bleached bond and pulled up into a messy bun. Her eyes were narrow and set in an otherwise tired face as she looked back at him, her lips twitching into a frown.

Her wand was drawn, and she stared at Viktor distrustfully. 

"Viktor," she started, Japanese accent heavy in her words. "Where the hell is my brother?"

 

 

 


	3. Summum Ius, Summa Iniuria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks again for the comments and kudos! (◕‿◕)♡  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri on Ice or Harry Potter.

* * *

 

**Summum ius, summa iniuria**

_"supreme law, supreme injustice"_

 

* * *

 

Phichit stretched, arms above his head as he leaned back in his chair. It was already pretty late in the evening, but he found it amusing that normal office hours did not apply to their department. Case in point: Leo de la Iglesia was currently caught in the middle of his newest project, a device that levitated everything within its range a good three meters off the ground. It wouldn't be nearly as impressive if Phichit didn't know Leo's current project was about magically emulating Muggle technology like iPods, and that the little device Leo was trying to reach was supposed to play music, not act as a levitation charm.

 

Guang-hong, seated at his desk and sketching what was either a rough draft of his current project or his future plans of his inevitable marriage to Leo, glanced over every now and then as if checking his boyfriend's progress. Phichit remembered the couple had date plans tonight - Guang-hong had been gushing about it earlier - which reminded Phichit of two things:  _1,_  what should he get for dinner tonight and  _2,_  he needed more single friends. 

 

Not that he didn't enjoy spending time playing as the occasional third wheel, but between the soft romance between Leo and Guang-hong and the married bliss of Viktor and Yuuri-

 

Phichit blinked, a sudden strain behind his eyes. 

 

"Are you alright, Phichit?" Guang-hong asked in concern, undoubtedly surprised by the Thai Unspeakable's abrupt low groan.

 

Phichit rubbed his temples with a frown. "I think I'm starting to get migraines," he complained. "I feel like someone keeps taking a battering hex to my head."

 

Seung-gil Lee looked up from his extensive and exhaustive number of parchments and tomes, scatted over his desk and the surrounding desks. "You are not the first to say such," the Korean man remarked evenly. "Both myself and that woman-"  _He never really did forgive Sara for that conjoined-hands incident,_  Phichit observed. "-have been suffering from recurrent headaches as of late."

 

Guang-hong's eyes widened. "It's the same for Leo and I," he added cautiously. "You don't think someone cursed the department, do you?" 

 

"Ciao ciao's been complaining about headaches too," Phichit recalled. It wasn't that uncommon for there to be some ill side effects due to the number of projects being run by the department, but usually they would have caught it when it affected the first few people. But that even Celestino had been affected and hadn't realized yet...

 

Seung-gil stood up suddenly, his stoic face unmoving but a glint to his eyes that suggested he'd had something of an epiphany. "The Aurors have been reporting the same thing," he said, sounding almost excited. 

 

The Auror department had an unspoken connection to the Department of Mysteries, as they were called upon quite often to help deal with whatever project had started running rampant. The DoM was also one of the few branches that ever gave the Aurors a run for their money when it came to interdepartmental competitions, and because of the affable relationship and similar goals ( _"For a safer, more advanced wizarding community!"_  Phichit had once claimed, desperately trying to get a Muggle cellphone to work with magic), they'd have numerous joint meetings.

 

If someone really wanted to, they could strike back at both departments simultaneously, only it was highly-unusual for someone to hold a grievance against  _both_ Aurors and Unspeakables; very few people even knew what Unspeakables actually did, and anyone getting revenge on Aurors had easier avenues in which to pursue their vengeance. 

 

"Aurors?" Leo echoed, having finally caught his experimental device and landing on his feet, drawing closer so that he could join the conversation. Guang-hong was quick to fill him in as Phichit turned back to Seung-gil. 

 

"Which Aurors?" the Thai man asked curiously. 

 

"Crispino and Nekola," Seung-gil replied. "Plisetsky as well."

 

The three were common figures at the interdepartmental competitions but the names seemed odd - as if Phichit just knew they were missing something. "What about Viktor?" he asked, expectant. "It's hard to find Plisetsky without Viktor hovering somewhere around." And Otabek, if after hours - Yuri Plisetsky, despite his seemingly constant aggression, was quite the social butterfly.

 

Seung-gil shrugged.

 

"I hear Viktor's been acting pretty strange lately," Leo spoke up, now understanding the gist of their discussion. "According to JJ, he's been obsessing over one of his previous cases."

 

Phichit leaned forward. "Which one?" 

 

"The Katsuki missing person's case," Leo replied.

 

Phichit stilled.

 

"Who is Katsuki?" Guang-hong asked. 

 

Leo frowned. "I don't know... The name is Japanese though. Do you think maybe it's an international case?" 

 

"Oh, that would be exciting! I don't think there's been an international case since the time Plisetsky accidentally hexed that German diplomat," Guang-hong mused, looking notably entertained. Despite his bashful demeanor, Guang-hong always did find some measure of enjoyment out of watching Yakov and other department Heads trying and failing to reign in their assorted employees.

 

Seung-gil rose an eyebrow. "Accidentally?" he echoed dubiously. 

 

"The diplomat deserved it," Leo pointed out. 

 

"I didn't say he didn't," Seung-gil returned.

 

Guang-hong smiled, "According to Chris, Viktor had to-"

 

" _Yuuri_."

 

All three halted their conversation, turning confused eyes on Phichit's sudden interjection. The Thai Unspeakable wasn't really looking at them, his eyes focused on some point beyond as his body began to tremble. An expression of horror was quickly eclipsing Phichit's face, realization breaking just as music began to play. "What happened to Yuuri?" he whispered, agonized.

 

The others could not answer, the music building so much that Leo looked down at his project in confusion. But he knew the music was not coming from it, knew it the same way he knew what song was playing - because he'd heard it before, because he'd recommended it and-

 

"Get Cialdini," Seung-gil grit out, one hand over his eyes. 

* * *

 

 Viktor didn't dare make any sudden moves, well aware of the position of his wand currently holstered to his forearm, blue eyes trained onto the strange woman in his apartment. It was odd that Makkachin was not reacting negatively, he couldn't help but observe- had the woman put a charm on his beloved pet? Makkachin had been trained to react to aggressive body language when threatened against Viktor, and despite her old age, could at least be counted on to growl.

 

"Viktor, tell me what's going on," the witch ordered - only it sounded more like she was pleading, her expression stifled between desperation and anxiety. "Everyone's been acting weird! Yuuri hasn't owled us in months, and neither have you! I tried seeing him at work but they act like they don't even know him, and Yurio came to see me yesterday-"

 

Mari Katsuki. This woman was Mari Katsuki, but for the life of him, Viktor couldn't recall why that was important. And who was Yurio?

 

"Yurio?" Viktor asked.

 

"He acted like he didn't even know who I was!" Mari said. "I only filed the missing persons report because Cialdini kept saying he hadn't seen Yuuri in awhile, and you're always at work and never reply to my damn owls!"

 

Viktor had no idea what she was referring to - while he did work quite often as of late, he'd never received any owls. And why would Celestino Cialdini know anything about who she was looking for? 

 

Who was she looking for? She kept assuming Viktor would know, and she kept bringing up Yuri - but Viktor had seen his temperamental cousin every day, and if he'd gone missing, half of the Ministry would have known and Otabek would have razed London to the ground looking for him.

 

"Where is Yuuri, Viktor?" she asked. 

 

Her pronunciation of the name was drawn out but Viktor attributed that to her accent. "Last I saw him, he was at work," Viktor replied. "Although he did go home before me."

 

Normally Viktor wouldn't tell complete strangers about the known whereabouts of his cousin, but Mari Katsuki... It was strange, but he felt comfortable enough with her to tell her. He registered that with mild alarm swallowed in a daze - was it some kind of charm? But a fuzz was settling over his mind, scattering his thoughts in different directions even as his body began to move forward, leaving him unable to analyze his own thoughts or actions.

 

_Forget. Throw it away. Forget._

 

Mari had glanced around, obviously confused by Viktor's words about his cousin. "If he went home before you, why isn't he here?" she asked.

 

Viktor moved past her. "We don't live together," he answered.

 

Mari startled. "Wha- Why? Did you two have a fight?" she demanded, turning around to follow him with her eyes. Viktor had moved to the kitchen now, opening the cupboard under the sink

 

"Yura's sharing a flat with Otabek," Viktor replied.

 

_Forget. Throw it away. Forget._

 

Mari's mouth opened and closed a couple times, no words emerging until realization dawned. "Not Yurio, Viktor!  _Yuuri!_ My brother! Your  _husband_ ," she stressed out, clearly blindsided by Viktor's response.

 

Viktor had frozen before the trash can he was hovering over, the words halting his movements. They echoed in his thoughts, but the more he tried to latch on to them, the more they sent his mind scattering. 

 

Husband.

 

_His husband._

 

"Viktor, what the hell is wrong with you?" Mari demanded. "Have you been hexed or something?"

 

Mari Katsuki. Sister of... Of...

 

_Forget. Throw it away. Forget._

 

Viktor had one hand poised over the garbage, and it took him a moment to realize he was holding something small and round in his hand. What was it? He wanted to look at it but at the same time - he wanted to drop it in the trash and walk away. 

 

What was in his hand?

 

Who is Mari Katsuki?

 

_Viktor is married._

 

"Viktor, what happened to you? What happened to my brother?" Mari continued in palpable concern, moving closer, grabbing his shoulder and tugging him around to face her. "Where is Yuuri?"

 

_Yuuri Katsuki._

 

Viktor's hand opened, and a golden ring fell from his grip and rolled across the floor.

 

Mari followed its movements, before drawing her eyes away and up to Viktor's still form, disbelief written clear in her expression. "Viktor," she started haltingly, horror in her voice. " _What did you do to my brother?_ "

* * *

 

 Delicately, almost as if afraid his touch would irrevocably change something, Chris let the barest hint of his fingertips glide across the cutlery, then the plate, then wrapped around the stem of one artfully-carved wineglass. White wine suited his mood right now, tangy with just the barest hint of sweetness; Chris remembered this taste, it was one of his favorites. It should be, Chris knew - seeing as he was the one who had originally supplied it.

 

"Is it pointless to ask how long you've been here?" Chris asked after a long sip. His words were calm and easy-going, the initial haze over his mind having long faded. The memories were coming back now, slipping seamlessly into place as if he'd known them all along. He technically  _had_ , but the magic had kept it from him, had turned his own mind against him so that he avoided tracing back and recognizing the glaring inconsistencies in his own day-to-day existence.

 

Someone disappearing wasn't just like removing a block from the top of a pyramid. It could not just be avoided or replaced, could not just be dismissed out of hand. No, someone disappearing from his world was more like pulling out one of the very foundation stones - it altered everything, it changed  _everything_. The chasm was gaping, and no matter what was put in to replace it or used to cover it up, he would always know it was there.

 

_"Yuuri,"_  Chris drawled out the name, almost relishing it on his tongue. How long had he been denied the right to say it? For how long had he been unable to even think about the other man, let alone remember the memories they shared? He'd been denied access to his own memory banks, his memories of the years he'd spent in school with the other man forcefully circumvented and erased.

 

"Chris, you have to go back soon," Yuuri said quietly. His voice carried in the banquet room, and though his face was downcast, Chris knew he was only trying not to cry.

 

The Swiss took another sip of wine, green eyes evaluating. "I can stay for a bit longer," he said. The fact that Yuuri had not sent him back immediately meant something had begun to change, and Chris could figure out what - because here, in this Banquet hall with full access to his memories, Chris could properly reflect on what had been transpiring outside of this damned eternal banquet.

 

Mari Katsuki had come to town, and her presence had affected the Banquet's victims as a whole. Yuuri must have realized that he couldn't do the same to his sister that he'd done with Minako Okukawa; his parents would find it alarming if their daughter suddenly forgot the existence of their son. At least with Okukawa, she could be periodically charmed to forget Yuuri's existence, but Mari fell outside their realm of accessibility. 

 

And also for the simple reason that  _this wasn't working_.

 

Chris couldn't recall exactly how many times he'd fallen back into the Banquet. Anything could have set him off - a stray picture of their school days, the formal robes he'd worn at their wedding, even a stripper pole. This time he'd been going through his old school things, intending to pass them off to his cousin who would be starting Hogwarts soon, and chanced upon a few of the notes he'd exchanged with Viktor during class, most of which were about the silver-haired man gushing over his then-boyfriend.

 

The music continued to play, a light background noise that Chris recognized instantly. It was one of Viktor's favorite pieces, and every time Chris heard it outside of this room, he knew it meant his return to the Banquet was coming. 

 

Yuuri stood, wand drawn. 

 

Chris placed his wineglass down, watching the other man approach with warm eyes. "This was only ever supposed to be a temporary solution," Chris said.

 

Yuuri's advance halted, brown eyes widening.

 

"We knew it would never last. And even if it could, we still would never have agreed to it," Chris continued. It was pointless to tell Yuuri that this method was not working - he had to know already. He must, as the sole sacrifice to the Banquet; he must, because every time they returned, his memory charms grew weaker.

 

Memory charms and mind magicks were Yuuri's specialty; his social anxiety had compelled him into studying the art, and he'd taken to the field wonderfully. It was his grasp of such obscure branches of magic that earned him a quick employment into the Department of Mysteries, but also doomed him to his place at the Banquet table. 

 

"It  _has_ to work," Yuuri said, the words physically torn from his heart.

 

Chris watched him carefully. "And it did, for a time," he replied. His green eyes turned thoughtful as he turned over his memories in his mind. Their relapses were important, but never as important as the original time, were not as vital as the first time they discussed how to leave the banquet. The memories hung like crystals suspended in saltwater, and Chris pulled those shards together to form the picture before Yuuri could shatter it completely.

 

"Or are you so desperate for it to work because of what you did to _Viktor?"_  

* * *

 

 Viktor's whimpers tore at her heart with every utterance, but Mari steeled herself. She could not show weakness now, not when Yuuri was still missing and the man who had been closest to him didn't even know  _who he was_. It was clear, at least to Mari, that Viktor's mind and memories had been tampered with - there was no way he would forget Yuuri, and absolutely no way he would pretend not to know him. 

 

Someone had attempted to erase her brother's existence, and more alarmingly - they had seemingly succeeded.

 

Instead of taking him to Saint Mungo's or even the Auror department, however, Mari took him down the corridors of the Department of Mysteries. The night-shift Front Desk had easily let her pass as she towed around Viktor, and very few people were around to wonder at why the Auror department's lead Auror was being led like a schoolchild through the Ministry.

 

The swell of chatter began to grow as they headed in the direction of the office area of the Department of Mysteries, and Viktor's headache only seemed to worsen when they finally entered and saw the crowd waiting for them.

 

"Let me guess," Michele Crispino ground out from nearby, eyes on a flabbergasted Mari. "He's got a headache too?"

 

Mari glanced back at Viktor, who was now very pale and couldn't seem to lift his eyes from the ground. 

 

"Something like that," she answered, releasing the silver-haired man and moving towards Celestino. The man was talking with Yakov, their expressions a mirror of pain, exhaustion, and confusion.

 

"It has to have started here," Sara Crispino said, motioning to the room at large. "The music is louder here."

 

Mari's steps faltered.  _What music?_

 

Seung-gil scowled. "It's growing louder but we don't know if it's the effect of the room. Maybe it just grows louder when more people are added," he pointed out.

 

"Shouldn't we be looking for where the music is coming from?" Guang-hong asked.

 

Leo frowned. "I think it's coming from in here," he replied, tapping his head. 

 

Mari glanced around, perturbed. Whatever curse was afflicting Viktor, it was also affecting everyone in the Ministry? Or at the very least, everyone in this room? She felt her stomach turn - she recognized just about every person in here. They all knew her brother personally - they'd all been at his wedding.

 

Is this why her family's owls went unanswered, by both Viktor and Minako Okukawa? Why no one at Yuuri's work knew who he was? Why no one seemed to even recognize Mari? A mix of Aurors and Unspeakables around her, and not one of them even knew who Yuuri Katsuki was. 

 

What had happened?

 

Mari fumbled through her robes, tears starting to cloud her eyes. She had not allowed herself the luxury of crying recently, not when she had to find Yuuri. She had to be persistent and aggressive, especially when every connection she had in the UK couldn't even remember her. But now, in a room surrounded by people she knew that couldn't even remember why she was here, she felt her powerlessness surge up.

 

"Who is this, Viktor?" Phichit Chulanont asked, curious eyes on her. He had worked with her and Christophe Giacometti to make sure Yuuri's wedding had gone smoothly. He'd once used the wrong spell in her parents' hot springs, aggravating a kappa and turning the water blood red for a week. He'd stayed over an entire summer in Yuuri's fifth year because of a fight with his parents, and Mari had helped Yuuri cheer him up. 

 

Viktor did not answer. He stood, wavering, eyes hazy and unresponsive. 

 

"Please," Mari started, finding what she was looking for in her breastpocket. She pulled it out, voice cracking as she looked at the picture. It was one of the more recent ones, sent just last year by Viktor - he and Yuuri were half-hugging, beaming at the camera with identically soppy looks on their faces. When Mari had first opened it, she had rolled her eyes at the couple, wondering if they'd always be so sickly-sweet; by all rights, their honeymoon phase should have ended  _years_ ago.

 

"My brother is missing," Mari tried, showing the pictures to whoever looked in her direction. She felt real terror grip her heart, not quite believing that in this room full of people that Yuuri knew, she and her brother were being regarded as complete strangers. "Please,  _please_ \- if you know anything about where he might be-"

 

And then, horrifyingly, the room fell absolutely silent.

* * *

 

 Yuuri knew he had been wrong, that the truth rung ever clearer in Chris's words rather than his own. This was never meant to last, it was only a temporary fix; they knew of Yuuri's abilities with memory charms and mind magicks, but his friends had no intention of sacrificing him just because it was the easiest way. Even though they had agreed to this out of desperation, it had not gone exactly as they had planned out.

 

Yuuri, after all, was not supposed to be at the Banquet alone.

 

It had been selfish of him to directly go against their plan. One person could not cope alone at the Banquet, and all Yuuri had been able to do was keep tampering with those under its direct influence. He had ordered his friends to do many heinous things against those he loved in order to keep the Banquet isolated, and still it had not been enough.

 

That was no more apparent than now. 

 

For the first time in what had begun as eternity, every seat at the Banquet was filled.

 


End file.
